FLOODING AND SEDIMENTATION IN WHEELING CREEK BASIN, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO By James R. Kolva and G. F. Koltun U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4053 Prepared in cooperation with the OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF RECLAMATION Columbus, Ohio 1987 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Division Books and Open-File Reports U.S. Geological Survey Box 25425, Federal Center 975 W. Third Avenue Building 41 Columbus, OH 43212 Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Background 2 Purpose and scope 2 Description of the area 4 Data-collection network 5 Acknowledgments 5 Flooding in Wheeling Creek basin 9 Sedimentation in Wheeling Creek basin 10 Changes in cross-section profiles 10 Channel-bed excavations 13 Sediment loads during storms 22 Data obtained at the gaging station 23 Summary and conclusions 25 Selected references 26 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Map showing location of study area 3 2-3. Maps showing: 2. Major land uses in Wheeling Creek basin 6 3. Abandoned surface mines in Wheeling Creek basin 7 4. Map showing streamflow gaging station, sediment-event sampling sites r and cross- section sites 8 5-12. Diagrams of selected measurements at cross sections of: 5. Wheeling Creek at Lafferty 14 6. McCracken Run at Fairpoint 15 7. Crabapple Creek near Crabapple 16 8. Wheeling Creek below Maynard 17 9. Fall Run above Crescent 18 10. Steep Run at Barton 19 11. Wheeling Creek at Goosetown 20 12. Fall Run above Crescent (all measurements) 21 TABLES Table 1. Rainfall totals for selected stations near Wheeling Creek basin 11 2. Flood-peak data for Short Creek, Wheeling Creek r and Captina Creek 12 3. Water-discharge and sediment data for significant storms in 1983 24 TABLES Cont i nued Page Mean daily discharges for Wheeling Creek below Blaine (03111548), December 1982 through September 1983 29 Sediment discharge for Wheeling Creek below Blaine (03111548), December 1982 through September 1983 30 CONVERSION FACTORS For the benefit of readers who prefer to use metric (Inter­ national System) units, conversion factors for the inch-pound units used in this report are listed below: Multiply inch-pound unit To obtain metric unit inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm) foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) square mile (mi 2 ) 2.590 square kilometer (km2 ) acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter cubic foot per 0.02832 cubic meter per second (ft^/s) second (m3/s) cubic foot per 0.01093 cubic meter per second per square second per square mile [(ft 3 /s)/mi 2 ! kilometer t(m3 /s)km2 ] ton 0.9072 megagram (Mg) ton per square mile 0.3503 megagram per square (ton/mi 2 ) kilometer (Mg/km^) IV FLOODING AND SEDIMENTATION IN WHEELING CREEK BASIN, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO By James R. Kolva and G. F. Koltun ABSTRACT The Wheeling Creek basin, which is located primarily in Belmont County, Ohio, experienced three damaging floods and four less severe floods during the 29-month period from February 1979 through June 1981. Residents of the basin became concerned about factors that could have affected the severity and frequency of out-of-bank floods. In response to those concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, undertook a study to estimate peak discharges and recurrence intervals for the seven floods of interest, pro­ vide information on current and historical mining-related stream- channel fill or scour, and examine storm-period subbasin contri­ butions to the sediment load in Wheeling Creek. Streamflow data for adjacent basins, rainfall data, and, in two cases, flood-profile data were used in conjunction with streamflow data subsequently collected on Wheeling Creek to pro­ vide estimates of peak discharge for the seven floods that occurred from February 1979 through June 1981. Estimates of recurrence intervals were assigned to the peak discharges on the basis of regional regression equations that relate selected basin characteristics to peak discharges with fixed recurrence intervals. These estimates indicate that a statistically unusual number of floods with recurrence intervals of 2 years or more occurred within that time period. Three cross sections located on Wheeling Creek and four located on tributaries were established and surveyed quarterly for approximately 2 years. No evidence of appreciable stream-channel fill or scour was observed at any of the cross sections, although minor profile changes were apparent at some locations. Attempts were made to obtain historical cross-section profile data for comparison with current cross-section profiles; however, no usable data were found. Excavations of stream-bottom materials were made near the three main-stem cross-section locations and near the mouth of Jug Run. The bottom materials were examined for evidence of recently deposited sediments of mining-related origin. The only evidence of appreciable mining-related sediment deposition was found at Jug Run, and, to a lesser extent, at one main-stem site. Suspended-sediment samples, discharge measurements, and beciload samples were collected at four sites on Wheeling Creek during four separate storm events. Approximate incremental sed­ iment yields were computed so that subbasin contributions of sediment could be compared. The event site located farthest downstream consistently displayed the highest incremental sedi­ ment yield, which indicates that the corresponding subbasin con­ tributed the most sediment on an area-weighted basis. Particle analyses of bedload samples and consideration of current land use suggest that probable major sources of sediment in that area are waste piles (which border the stream) left over from former deep mining and coal processing. INTRODUCTION Background On February 26, 1979, August 11, 1980, and April 12, 1981, damaging floods occurred in the Wheeling Creek drainage basin, which is located primarily in Belmont County, Ohio (fig. 1). In addition, four less severe floods occurred in the basin during the 29 months from February 1979 through June 1981. Because of the recent frequency with which damaging floods have occurred, local residents and officials became concerned about factors that could have increased the frequency of out-of-bank flooding, as well as ways in which future flood damages might be alleviated. Some residents believe that the frequency of damaging floods has increased recently because of a decrease in stream conveyance caused by rapid deposition of sediments originating from abandoned surface mines in the basin. In response to these concerns, a study was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey, in coopera­ tion with the .Ohio Department of Natural Resources, to assess the flooding and sedimentation problems in the basin. Purpose and Scope The objectives of this report are to (1) discuss the estima­ tion of peak discharges and recurrence intervals for the 1979-81 floods in the Wheeling Creek basin; (2) provide information on current and historical mining-related stream-channel fill or scour; and (3) describe storm-period subbasin contributions to the sediment load in Wheeling Creek. The operation of a streamflow- gaging station located near the mouth of Wheeling Creek also is discussed. The data upon which this report is based consist of surveyed flood profiles for the two most severe floods; streamflow data collected from Captina and Short Creeks, two adjacent gaged streams; precipitation records for storms corresponding to each of the seven floods; and streamflow, sediment, bottom-material, and cross-section data collected on Wheeling Creek from November 1982 through July 1984. 4000 By^t N j_ _J *_^ O\ B L E r-i V- LxtJ Xja^-u...-! ~ Cahme . v EXPLANATION Base from U.S. Geological Survey State Base Map, 1971 Short Creek basin Wheeling Creek basin Captina Creek basin 20 30 MILES Precipitation station and lo 40 KILOMETERS number (table 1) Figure 1. Location of study area. Description of the Area The Wheeling Creek basin is located in parts of Belmont, Harrison, and Jefferson Counties in eastern Ohio (fief. 1). The drainage area of the basin is 107.7 square miles (mi^). Wheeling Creek joins the Ohio River at Bridgeport, Ohio, opposite Wheeling, West Virginia. St. Clairsville, Ohio, the Belmont county seat, lies partly within the basin and is the largest urban area. The climate of the basin is temperate; summers are warm to hot, and winters are moderately cold. Annual precipitation, approximately 40 inches per year, is distributed uniformly throughout the year. Floods can occur during any season. Severe storms in the narrow valleys of the basin can result in flash flooding (Wheeling Creek Watershed Action Committee Agency Task Force, 1983). The topography of the basin is hilly and characterized by V-shaped valleys and broad, rounded ridges. The basin is ungla- ciated. The headwater tributaries have generally shallow, broad valleys. The valley of the main stem of Wheeling Creek is gen­ erally deep and narrow, but broadens toward the mouth. Relief on Wheeling Creek is approximately 360 feet from source to mouth, a distance of approximately 32 miles. The geology of the basin is characterized by horizontally- layered sedimentary rock. Exposed strata include shale, sand­ stone, siltstone, limestone, and coal. These strata are part of the Conemaugh and Monongahela Formations of Pennsylvanian age and the Dunkard Group of Pennsylvanian and Permian age (Wheeling Creek Watershed Action Committee Agency Task Force, 1983). The soils of the upper and middle parts of the basin gener­ ally are part of the Lowell-Westmoreland association and their related soils. The lower reaches of the basin contain soils of the Elkinsville-Nolin Variant-Brookside association. All of these soils are moderately erodible.
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